Danny was not having a good day at all. He really hated Skulker right now. You would think that he will be too afraid to go against King Phantom, but nope. His obsession with hunting has taken the best of him. And NOW Danny was standing in the middle of what looked like a medieval city. He needs to get back. Right after he will deal with terrified crowd around him.

"Eh, hi?" Danny waved slightly. Nobody waved him back, still staring. Why no one ran away is still a question. Phantom hunched his shoulders. Even being the King didn't get rid of his childish nature.

"What?" He deadpanned. Silence.

"Alright, now that's just plain creepy, guys. So I will ask one question and you better answer it. Where. Am. I."

Everyone flinched from such a tone of his voice.

"BEGONE, DEMON!" Cardinal shouted, pointing the cross at him. But Danny hasn't even flinched. Phantom just stared at him.

"Now you are just plain insulting me," he clapped sarcastically, shaking his head, "Look, I'd LOVE to go, really, however...there is one problem, though, what was it," he was stroking nonexistent beard, pretending to be in thought, "Ah, yeah! Do you see any way for me to get back, hm?" He actually got the point, the portal is closed.

Suddenly the guards, wearing identical yellow clothing over iron hauberk and pointed closed helmets, started to surround Phantom. But only completely clueless idiots didn't notice how they were shaking, their weapons as well. Danny may be clueless, but not completely. Plus he could feel the fear easily. Phantom gave a fanged smirk.

"What a hospitality. I still give you a chance to walk away"

He created a green glowing chair from his ectoenergy and he sat on it, cross legged. Then a low whistle filled the air. In a blink of an eye Phantom grabbed the arrow, which was flying right into his face.

"In a moment," Danny said and evaporated in a cloud of smoke. Then he reappeared, holding little man in archer's clothes.

"Now, now, it's not very nice. Shooting from the back like a rat, aren't we? You should say: I'm sorry"

"I'm sorry!" He shouted, terrified.

"Don't worry, even though I'm King of Hell doesn't mean I'm coreless monster," people around started to faint, "Now, maybe you will answer me, where in the name of Ancients I am, hm?"

"K-kingdom of Crock-kwell, sir"

"Year?"

"1232," the man was ready to piss himself, seeing that Phantom obviously wasn't satisfied with this answer. And he thanked the God, when Danny let him go, and archer ran away.

"Just great. I'm stuck with superstitious people with no means to get home. What a WONDERFUL day!" Phantom said sarcastically, "Now you all have a one question, right? I'm not the one you, humans, call Satan. This guy was a big jerk to say the least. But, I kicked his butt, sealed him away and now his Crown is mine," he snapped his fingers and flaming green crown appeared on his head. Now people were more terrified, if it's even possible. If he defeated the Devil himself, than they are doomed.

"Wh-who are you?" The cardinal squeaked.

"Daniel James Dark, Count of Aragon, Lord of the Infinite Realms and High King of Dead"

His eyes finally fell on the wooden stake. He saw a girl with short black hair. Danny shook his head, realizing that he was staring, and blushed green. Now THAT was what nobody was expecting. But she hasn't noticed that, luck finally was on Danny's side.

"Now what's going on here? Another innocent soul, being accused of heretism, without solid proofs? Oh, that's why I hate this age of time"

He floated closer to her, his cape flowing. She didn't look like she was afraid of him, but Phantom knew better, he could smell the fear, after all. Danny smiled softly.

"I can get you out if you want," she blinked in surprise," Of course, it will just strengthen their accusations, but, hey, you will be able to live some more time. What's your name?"

"S-Sam Manson," the girl said.

"Hm, fits," he removed her hair from her eyes and saw that they were lavender, "So, what do you say?"

Sam thought about it, if she stays, than people will just burn her. If she goes with him...Sam didn't know. It can be something even worse, or he may just let her go. It's hard to say, judging from his attitude, what this Phantom will do. Plus, since childhood she was told that you should never trust a demon.

"What will happen after that?" Danny shrugged.

"Depends, I don't know what you are going to do. I can't see the future like my father. It's all to you," Sam contemplated some more time.

"I agree," he put his hand on her shoulder.

"Take a deep breath, the first time is always like that," with that they both dissapeared in a cloud of smoke.

-Later-

They appeared in some abandoned alleyway. It was filled with stinking of trash and...vital products. The windows were shattered or had cracks on them. Sam immediately fell on the ground, gasping for air. Danny was looking around curiously.

"When I thought about safe place this isn't exactly was expecting. You alright?" He asked looking at his new accomplice.

"Yeah," she said, getting up, slowly.

"So, what are you going to do now, when you are wanted? Your parents maybe?" Her look became as cold as his core. Looks like he hit the sore spot.

"My 'parents' were the ones who accused me!" Sam exclaimed. She flinched after that, remembering that she just shouted at the King of Hell. But he only looked at her with sad look.

"Do you want to talk about it? My sister says it helps to ease the pain," Sam looked at him in surprise.

"Sister?"

"Sister figure, but yeah, Jazz is awesome. She can be annoying sometimes with her overprotectiveness, though," Phantom chuckled, "So..."

She shook her head, "No, I don't," Danny sighed.

"Where are you going to go, then?"

"Why are you so interested?" Sam asked, a bit annoyed.

"Well, father didn't open another portal yet, which means I should stay here for a while. Plus, you are the only one, who doesn't run away in fear, screaming bloody murder," she raised an eyebrow at unfamiliar term, "nevermind"

"So you are going to stalk me?"

"No, no, no," Danny waved with his hands rapidly, "If you don't want, I will go away. I'm just saying that...Protecting others is my obsession, the meaning of my life. And it's you, who needs to be protected right now"

Sam contemplated this offer. She looked in his glowing red and green eyes. There wasn't any evil intent in them, or malicious gleam. Only genuine concern was shining inside.

"Alright, you can go with me," Sam said, sighing. He grinned.

"Awesome!" Danny threw his hands up and leaned back in the air.

"But...how are you going to follow me? You aren't exactly the most unnoticeable," she asked with raised eyebrow.

"Oh, I have a way," he said, still grinning. Immediately the ring of moonlight appeared around his waist, splitting in two. Sam watched in fascination, how Phantom's hair became raven black, and his eyes became icy blue. He then looked down.

"I may need some new clothes," Danny said. He was wearing black T-shirt and torn jeans with grey sneakers.

"How did you..." Sam asked still in shock.

"That's my human form, helps to blend in. Wait here," Phantom became invisible.

Danny flew out of the alleyway. It took him a lot time to master some of his powers in the human form. Flight was one of them. Yes, he was slower, not so maneuverable, but it still can be useful. People were talking, unsurprisingly, about him. He saw some trader, selling clothes. "Bingo," Danny muttered. He snatched some things and returned.

"That should be enough," he said.

"Ehm, it's women clothes," Sam pointed.

"Flames between!" Danny exclaimed. She supposed it was swearing, "Well, take this on, anyway, rags will call attention"

Danny returned to the shop and stole some other things. He took for himself dark blue tunic with leather belt, black pants and and brown boots. He returned to the alleyway, where Sam was already dressed. She was wearing white and purple dress. Danny gave her a cloak with a hood. She pulled the hood on.

"So, where are we going?"

"My grandmother"

-In the meantime-

The royal castle was truly the most beautiful thing of the capital. It was placed on the hill, so the enemy would have a hard time assaulting it. There was a big courtyard in the center with a beautiful garden. That was a place, where King Roderick preferred to spent his free time, enjoying bird's songs. He was a mid aged man, with green eyes, brown hair and beard.

It was during his rest, when Cardinal Cadagan was fast approaching him.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!" He was shouting.

"What's wrong, Cadagan?" Roderick asked the panting old man.

"Devil, Your Majesty!" The King chuckled.

"Cadagan, I'm sure there wasn't..."

"No, no, no. The whole city saw him! He appeared when we were preparing to punish witch Manson. He looked like a sixteen years old boy, with hair white like snow, with black arrowed tail. His eyes glowed green and blood red..."

"What happened?"

"He said that he beated Satan, but I didn't trust a single word, said from his mouth. He called himself Daniel Phantom. There were some titles he named, one of them is Count of Aragon. Maybe there really is such family in that Kingdom, I don't know. He set his eyes on Manson, and it looked like he has taken a liking in her"

"What are you offering to do then?" Roderick asked.

"We need to find a way to defeat him. If what he is saying about defeating the Devil is true, then we must protect ourselves"

"Then you will go and complete this task, Cadagan. In the meantime we will try to find them. Where do you think they will go, if not back in his world, of course?"

"Certainly not to her parents," Cardinal shook his head, "they may go to the fellow heretics"

"Well, we will start searching"

A.N. I hope you like it.